Download a Sample OrCAD Schematic to Help You Make the Most of Database Management

A Good Schematic Begets Good Netlists, Good Layouts, and Accurate BOM's

We'd like you to have a .ZIP file of a collection of OrCAD schematic design files that show how the tool is actually used - and how with clever management of databases and CAD input you can streamline every single process downstream of the schematic capture.

Included in the ZIP file are:

The basic schematic in OrCAD 9 format (since this format is upward compatible with virtually every later version of the tool).

A .PRJ file that comes with all the subtle tweaks to things like the BOM generation fields -- to assure that the tool produces a BOM your purchasing department can actually use, your engineers can use for cost control, and your assembly shop will find agrees with the bare PCB and incoming bags of components.

The small OrCAD library from whence the components in this design came. Our aim here is to show what may be worth keeping in the library and what may not.

The raw ASCII text formatted BOM generated by OrCAD.

The BOM after being dragged and dropped into Microsoft Excel.

A netlist in PADS2000 format, as this is one of the more "human readable" formats out there.

A short document explaining the rationale for why we do things the way we do. Ours is not the only approach, but it's one that's worked well with most PCB assemblers and layout service bureaus.

Downlod this ZIP file and you'll get a sample of how we make sure that starting at the schematic level, every piece of data that'll be needed later will get where it has to go -- uncorrupted. And having BOM's that agree with schematics and the information the assembler uses to stuff the bare PCB will save hours of labor (and all the panic last-minute ordering of missing parts) later on.

Tell us at right who you are and if you have any specific concerns so we can continue to improve these files and the crib notes that go with them, and we'l redirect you to the download page.